DS has just turned 3, and is not eligible for SIPS until the September term starts. DS has a very severe language delay and is on the path towards being assessed by CDDP, as I am as certain as I can be that he has ASD. He has very limited understanding, concentration and attention skills, and ticks many of the ASD traits boxes.
We would like him to go to pre-school as we think that it would help him a lot. However, I feel that, he would need a SIPS worker basically full time (I would like for him to do two mornings a week at this stage) or I would need to stay with him.
As there is no state funding for a SIPS worker, I wondered if we could pay privately for one, should I be able to find one. Pre-school have a list of SIPS workers that have worked with children in the past. We were considering entering into a private arrangement wherby we pay them whatever rate they would get from the state, until the state would consider funding this itself. Pre school are fine with us doing this.
How much are we talking please? The sessions are 3 hours 30 minutes long. We live in the south east (within the M25 but outside London, if that is relevant).